{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]],"date-time":"2026-09-25T06:30:50Z","timestamp":1790317850519,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,6]],"date-time":"2022-05-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1651795200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Rehabilit. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Women's sexual health within the context of sexual function and psychosocial dimensions while living with a spinal cord injury (SCI) has rarely been discussed separately from men living with a SCI or from a collective with other chronic conditions. To date, over 64,000 women in the U.S. are currently living with SCI, with total numbers increasing each year, as well as the demographics shifting to include more diversity in race and incidences occurring later in life. On average, SCI tends to be acquired during the childbearing years (~30\u201350 years old), as well as when women experience other health concerns associated with aging, including perimenopause and menopause. Additionally, women's sexual health is often conceptualized from the position of the absence of disease and dysfunction. However, consistent with definitions furthered by the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Association of Sexual Health (WAS), we believe women's sexual health is multifaceted, moving beyond a focus on reproduction to also encompass sexual function and the psychosocial dimensions of sexual health both living with and without disabling conditions and diseases. Within this lens, we present prior research that has been conducted, conclusions from these studies, implications for practice, and recommendations for future research. Thus, the paper will expand the understanding of both sexual function and psychosocial dimensions for women living with SCI.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fresc.2022.853647","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,6]],"date-time":"2022-05-06T05:05:00Z","timestamp":1651813500000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Sexual Health and Women Living With Spinal Cord Injury: The Unheard Voice"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"3","author":[{"given":"Jennifer Ann","family":"Piatt","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ivanka","family":"Simic Stanojevic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cedomir","family":"Stanojevic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Melissa L.","family":"Zahl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mary Ann","family":"Richmond","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Debra","family":"Herbenick","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1016\/j.spen.2004.01.002","article-title":"The World Health Organization international classification of functioning, disability, and health: a model to guide clinical thinking, practice and research in the field of cerebral palsy","volume":"11","author":"Rosenbaum","year":"2004","journal-title":"Semin Pediatr Neurol"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"483","DOI":"10.3109\/17482960802578365","article-title":"Two consecutive pregnancies in early and late stage of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis","volume":"10","author":"Sarafov","year":"2009","journal-title":"Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1420","DOI":"10.1016\/S0003-9993(99)90253-8","article-title":"A multicenter study of women's self-reported reproductive health after spinal cord injury","volume":"80","author":"Jackson","year":"1999","journal-title":"Arch Phys Med Rehabil."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1513","DOI":"10.1001\/archneur.1997.00550240063014","article-title":"'Complete'spinal cord injury does not block perceptual responses to genital self-stimulation in women","volume":"54","author":"Komisaruk","year":"1997","journal-title":"Arch Neurol."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1310\/sci1501-15","article-title":"Prescription for pleasure: exploring sex-positive approaches in women with spinal cord injury","volume":"15","author":"Mona","year":"2009","journal-title":"Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil."},{"key":"B6","first-page":"359","article-title":"Sexual health of women with disabilities","volume":"159","author":"Basson","year":"1998","journal-title":"Cmaj."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"573","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2648.1999.01126.x","article-title":"Incontinence and sexuality: findings from a qualitative perspective","volume":"30","author":"Roe","year":"1999","journal-title":"J Adv Nurs."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"497","DOI":"10.1017\/S0144686X16001203","article-title":"Let's talk about sex\u2013what do older men and women say about their sexual relations and sexual activities? 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